Although negotiations with Manchester United outcast Sancho have reached an impasse, the Serie A giants have tentatively turned their attention to a Chelsea misfit.
Last summer right winger Raheem Sterling was being considered to arrive in Turin on a season-long loan from Chelsea. Nothing materialized, with the 30-year-old surprisingly shipped off to Arsenal.
He failed to cement a regular place at Arsenal, making just five Premier League starts, and was duly sent back to their London rivals.
Partly due to his lack of game time, Sterling failed to make Chelsea's FIFA Club World Cup squad. Head coach Enzo Maresca sensationally went on to win the cash-rich competition, and this summer is severely trimming the playing personnel he has at his disposal.
Maresca has since discarded the Kingston-born right winger by placing him on their transfer list with a price tag of €23 million (US$27m).
Clubs clamor for veteran winger
A plethora of London-based Premier League clubs have been linked with the former England international, including Brentford, FA Cup winners Crystal Palace, Fulham and West Ham United.
Bayer Leverkusen and Juventus are circumspectly exploring the cost to attract ex-Liverpool and Manchester City star Sterling, whose weekly wage of more than €300,000 (US$352,000) is slightly more than 25-year-old Sancho.
Leverkusen boss Erik ten Hag has unsuccessfully tried to lure Sterling to Old Trafford, when he was the Manchester United manager.
Although Sterling could earn the same sort of figure in the Saudi Pro League, he prefers to stay in Europe. Having moved from Jamaica to London in 2000, a switch to a side in the English capital would most likely be favored.
Juve could revisit loan deal
Yet the ambitious Turin titans could swoop to tempt him. The club were genuinely serious about bringing in Sterling on loan last term. A season-long loan would be preferred over an outright acquisition, because Juventus are cash-strapped this summer.
As his age and steep salary demands go against Juve’s transfer policy of buying young players who can develop, there appears very little chance of buying Sterling.
A loan, without an obligation to purchase, would seem the best solution for the Bianconeri. Chelsea would be expected to help out substantially with his extortionate salary. Yet it still depends on when Juventus can offload at least one of their many wingers that are are on the transfer list.